I've seen this three times now from one hive. So cool! I saw the queen head out yesterday for a flight, and I just saw the queen coming back in today after going on another flight. Fingers crossed that she is done because they weather is turning bad for about 5 days.
Hi Doug, it did happen to me last year the weather turned when the virgins went out on mating flights, as you say you have seen yours going in and out, so should be fine, John.
John, these videos are great: I've just started watching them! I shall be looking out for the mating flights as I've got a capped queen cell, so waiting for things to get going! I didn't realise so many of the flying bees we t with the queen on mating flights. Amazing!
Hi Vera, it takes about 5 minuets and they are out so easily missed, same coming back, I think some other bees come back with her from other hives but I have no evidence for that, Regards John.
Best bee video ever. I got 15 mating nucs in my garden, first time I got so many. Last days there have been a lot of activity around them, I have been worried about robbing and today you learned me it is natural when she flyes for mating. Thank you for your video Swedisch beekeeper 20 hives.
Hi Bud, in Sweden Thanks for your comments, Nice you have them in your garden ,I have now found one of my mating nucs was unsuccessful I ended up with 4 out of 5, happy beekeeping from John.
Cheers John, new subscriber. Been keeping bees 12 years and never seen before. That's the problem having full time job and not enough time for the bees. Cheers.
Hi Dave, Thanks for subscribing, I am retired now so beekeeping is my main hobby and i find it better than before as i have untold time to spend looking and learning. Happy beekeeping stay safe, John.
John loved this video on virgins going out to mate never seen that before fantastic cheers Keith ☺️ half way through winter in Australia can't wait till springtime Gee it's cold bye !!
Hello John and Lin, I concur with you John some of my hives are all doing the same , isn’t it a wonderful sight to see , wish me luck John I have a cut out to do this weekend at a neighbours front porch they have made themselves a nice colony in the porch roof space, I’d like to leave them be but she wants them out so I said I’ll do the deed . Thank you John and Lin fascinating vlog .
Well done Peter, I know what it is like sometimes I also have spent most of the day removing a colony from someones building . hope you get on okay with the cutout . John.
I'm about to check to the Virgin Queen heading the swarm out of one of their parent colony is mated or not, and also whether the parent colony also has a new queen or not. If not I guess I will be merging them back together! Great video John! You'll be marking her soon no doubt!
Very interesting and good to see. Do you get more bees coming back following her from other hive around the area .and are the new queens small making them harder to spot
That was interesting john you time that right i thought the queen only did one mating flight maybe thats what i saw when i thought they were going to swarm when they were on my shed roof
I have never seen worker bees in this large amount follow a virgin queen on her mating flight. I was under the impression that only drones followed her out of the flight.
Hi Brad, you can see the bees going out then comming back, after her mating filghts, she will go on her own into the drone mating area, lots of bees come back before the queen, hope this video has helped you, i have seen this many times, john
There are lots of drones before the flight all excited buzzing about, and they are still about after the first flight, they. Seem to know there is a virgin somewhere, nice to see , Happy beekeeping 🐝 from john
Hi John, May I ask what size brood boxes you use please? I don’t know whether to change to a 14 x 12 or have a brood and a half. Appreciate your views. Thank you, Paul
Hi Paul, I use, British National Stranded, hives the frames are DN4 , sometimes brood and an half, sometimes double brood boxes, I have always used them so sorry can not really comment on the others out there, I have got used to Nationals and I have a lot, so would cost too much for me to change now, I may have a go at a top bar hive , maybe someone will ad a comment who are more experienced with different sizes please to help, John.
John it's me again Keith from Australia your hive stands are they made from wooden chair frames if so you have given me an idea to do the same cheers Keith 😎😷 😍
Hi Russ, I will say what my queens do, 3rd and 4th day out on mating or 11 and 12 from cells capped as I find it easier so see the day when they cap cells. John.
When the old queen leaves the hive with some of the colony abut half , this is swarming, But with a new , virgin queen , she will go off just for mating flights and come back to the hive . You also can get a 3rd kind , a cast , this is when the hive is so big some virgin queens fly off for good , with about 1,000 Bees quite a small amount really, From a nuke as in my video this will not happen as there is only one queen cell I’m it . Hope that makes sense quite a lot to learn but you soon get the hang of it all , happy beekeeping John 👍
Hi John I recently spotted a very small swarm in a tree, about the size of my fist. On inspection i could see that there was indeed a queen amongst them. Do you think that she would have been mated or lost? Regards Mike
Yes i have collected 2 in the last week and have given them back to the owner i have enough to look after 😄 Getting back to that small swarm if i come across another is it worth collecting?
Hi John, very interesting. I thought the Queen went on her mating flight alone. I had this massive busyness at 2 of my hives in the last few weeks. 1 had a virgin in and she still hasnt laid so thinking she didnt get out to get mated, but the other one did it the day before but had an old queen in that I had recaptured when she swarmed, she is still in there and laying like a trouper. So not sure what all the fuss was? Is it at all possible for a Queen to re mate after she has swarmed and found a new home, not heard of this at all and I am a newbie but is weird behaviour. They were all piling out the entrance and the front of the hive was busy and they were flying above hive and landing again running in and out of the entrance...lots and lots of activity, I was perplexed as to what was going on. I know the Queen is supposed to mate and then thats it for rest of her life, but maybe they can top up as such and we just didnt know about it?
Hi , I definitely i do not think Queens mate a second time except on their virgin flights as they can go out two or three times, often when a virgin goes out of the hive and there is a hive close by , that would also get excited and worked up and lots of bees leave the hive, with drones, and then go back in . I have seen this several times, I have been a beekeeper for many years but I do not know everything I learn new things every day, that is a good thing about keeping bees you never know what’s gonna happen next, enjoy your beekeeping and thank you for commenting john
@@johnbeemansaunders6567 hi John, thanks for your reply, I am new, I did a course at local BBKA yr1 2nd Yr on their apiary with my 1st bees, but they died over winter. Then following June (last year) I was given a swarm from my local BBKA as they knew I was bee less. And that what I have seen through last winter and still have her now. I didn't know what all the activity was outside her hive, very odd. Not swarming behaviour it was something else. I wondered if other bees from other hive was going in and getting confused and causing a bit of a rucus? They fascinate me intensely. I'm so interested in how the drones know where to congregate and how the queen's find them. But very little info out there on the drones and their congregation areas.
@@johnbeemansaunders6567 definitely not that. It was my original old queen that swarmed and I got her back into a new hive with new foundation only. They had been in there 2/3 days when this activity started but out front. Like say not swarm behaviour but noisier, more frantic in and out. Only things I as a newbie thought it could be was other bees coming in and robbing their syrup? And causing a bit of a do. Or I had put them in new blue hive. And the hive 6-8 foot to the left was blue nuc and they got moved into a new pine hive and bees were getting a bit mixed up and entering wrong hive causing a bit of a do🤔. But all calmed down. And Queens still in correct hives. Just saw the kind of activity on your vid and thought it could of been similar. Would they be restless and noisy having new home and no brood/eggs to start with as no where for queen to lay as only had fresh foundation?
Thanks again John. I love how enthusiastic you are about your bees. Bees certainly are a marvel of creation!
Hi Dave, nice to hear from you again, Thanks for your comment, they are a marvel and i see they all work together for the good of all. John.
Very interesting video. Thanks for sharing your observations. You can hear the difference in the buzz of a flying queen.
Thanks from John
That’s great showed the gland really well, another gap in my knowledge filled thanks
Good and happy you liked it 🤓
I've seen this three times now from one hive. So cool! I saw the queen head out yesterday for a flight, and I just saw the queen coming back in today after going on another flight. Fingers crossed that she is done because they weather is turning bad for about 5 days.
Hi Doug, it did happen to me last year the weather turned when the virgins went out on mating flights, as you say you have seen yours going in and out, so should be fine, John.
John, these videos are great: I've just started watching them! I shall be looking out for the mating flights as I've got a capped queen cell, so waiting for things to get going! I didn't realise so many of the flying bees we t with the queen on mating flights. Amazing!
Hi Vera, it takes about 5 minuets and they are out so easily missed, same coming back, I think some other bees come back with her from other hives but I have no evidence for that, Regards John.
Best bee video ever. I got 15 mating nucs in my garden, first time I got so many. Last days there have been a lot of activity around them, I have been worried about robbing and today you learned me it is natural when she flyes for mating. Thank you for your video
Swedisch beekeeper 20 hives.
Hi Bud, in Sweden Thanks for your comments, Nice you have them in your garden ,I have now found one of my mating nucs was unsuccessful I ended up with 4 out of 5, happy beekeeping from John.
Cheers John, new subscriber. Been keeping bees 12 years and never seen before. That's the problem having full time job and not enough time for the bees.
Cheers.
Hi Dave, Thanks for subscribing, I am retired now so beekeeping is my main hobby and i find it better than before as i have untold time to spend looking and learning. Happy beekeeping stay safe, John.
Great to see a fellow saunders with similar interests, on the other side of the planet.. must run in the blood haha
We’ve both got a good name , happy beekeeping from John Saunders 👍
Very pretty bees. Like the bee yard too. Thank you.
Thank you too
John loved this video on virgins going out to mate never seen that before fantastic cheers Keith ☺️ half way through winter in Australia can't wait till springtime Gee it's cold bye !!
i did not know you got cold weather in Australia, i go there the day hopefully.john.
Hello John and Lin, I concur with you John some of my hives are all doing the same , isn’t it a wonderful sight to see , wish me luck John I have a cut out to do this weekend at a neighbours front porch they have made themselves a nice colony in the porch roof space, I’d like to leave them be but she wants them out so I said I’ll do the deed . Thank you John and Lin fascinating vlog .
Well done Peter, I know what it is like sometimes I also have spent most of the day removing a colony from someones building . hope you get on okay with the cutout . John.
Hello john love the videos look forward to sitting down to watch every time you upload cheers
Thanks Neil, I keep uploading if you keep watching, Regards John.
Thats a great idea you did with that brood box and i love watching this video
You may have your own nuc this year, you could have it in your garden and then you may see first hand , Queen on mating flight,
I'm about to check to the Virgin Queen heading the swarm out of one of their parent colony is mated or not, and also whether the parent colony also has a new queen or not. If not I guess I will be merging them back together! Great video John! You'll be marking her soon no doubt!
Hope all goes well with your bees, as you say we can always merge them, I may need to do that we will see, John.
Very interesting and good to see. Do you get more bees coming back following her from other hive around the area .and are the new queens small making them harder to spot
Hi Pete, Yes they are smaller but soon grow bigger as the colony feeds her, some other bees do follow her in too. John.
That was interesting john you time that right i thought the queen only did one mating flight maybe thats what i saw when i thought they were going to swarm when they were on my shed roof
Yes Roy, you may have got a swarm with a virgin and seen her on her mating flights, also you were quick watching this video, well done. John.
nice good timing I have a few I'm hoping they come back mated
Me too, last year I only had half , regards John.
I have never seen worker bees in this large amount follow a virgin queen on her mating flight. I was under the impression that only drones followed her out of the flight.
Hi Brad, you can see the bees going out then comming back, after her mating filghts, she will go on her own into the drone mating area, lots of bees come back before the queen, hope this video has helped you, i have seen this many times, john
Nice video john Thanks.
Thanks Stuart, keep well and safe, John.
Hello John beeman, when.the queen returns from a mating flight do lots of drone bees follow her back?
There are lots of drones before the flight all excited buzzing about, and they are still about after the first flight, they. Seem to know there is a virgin somewhere, nice to see , Happy beekeeping 🐝 from john
Hi John, May I ask what size brood boxes you use please? I don’t know whether to change to a 14 x 12 or have a brood and a half. Appreciate your views. Thank you, Paul
Hi Paul, I use, British National Stranded, hives the frames are DN4 , sometimes brood and an half, sometimes double brood boxes, I have always used them so sorry can not really comment on the others out there, I have got used to Nationals and I have a lot, so would cost too much for me to change now, I may have a go at a top bar hive , maybe someone will ad a comment who are more experienced with different sizes please to help, John.
John it's me again Keith from Australia your hive stands are they made from wooden chair frames if so you have given me an idea to do the same cheers Keith 😎😷 😍
Hi Keith, yes I just cut the back off a chair, iv had them for years too,
Thank you that was really interesting
Glad you enjoyed it
Cracking timing! How long is it between the queen coming out of her cell and going on a mating flight?
Hi Russ, I will say what my queens do, 3rd and 4th day out on mating or 11 and 12 from cells capped as I find it easier so see the day when they cap cells. John.
Why does she come back etc as I’m new to this I thought they’d leave the old queen behind and they all go with the new one
When the old queen leaves the hive with some of the colony abut half , this is swarming,
But with a new , virgin queen , she will go off just for mating flights and come back to the hive .
You also can get a 3rd kind , a cast , this is when the hive is so big some virgin queens fly off for good , with about 1,000 Bees quite a small amount really,
From a nuke as in my video this will not happen as there is only one queen cell I’m it .
Hope that makes sense quite a lot to learn but you soon get the hang of it all , happy beekeeping John 👍
Hi John
I recently spotted a very small swarm in a tree, about the size of my fist.
On inspection i could see that there was indeed a queen amongst them.
Do you think that she would have been mated or lost?
Regards
Mike
I Mike, I think possibly a cast swarm with a virgin, I also collected a swarm last night, there seems a lot about, John.
Yes i have collected 2 in the last week and have given them back to the owner i have enough to look after 😄
Getting back to that small swarm if i come across another is it worth collecting?
Do you see more mating flight failures during droughts?
Hi Noah, sorry for the delay in replying, i find more failures when we have lots of rain, John .
Hi John, very interesting. I thought the Queen went on her mating flight alone. I had this massive busyness at 2 of my hives in the last few weeks. 1 had a virgin in and she still hasnt laid so thinking she didnt get out to get mated, but the other one did it the day before but had an old queen in that I had recaptured when she swarmed, she is still in there and laying like a trouper. So not sure what all the fuss was? Is it at all possible for a Queen to re mate after she has swarmed and found a new home, not heard of this at all and I am a newbie but is weird behaviour. They were all piling out the entrance and the front of the hive was busy and they were flying above hive and landing again running in and out of the entrance...lots and lots of activity, I was perplexed as to what was going on. I know the Queen is supposed to mate and then thats it for rest of her life, but maybe they can top up as such and we just didnt know about it?
Hi , I definitely i do not think Queens mate a second time except on their virgin flights as they can go out two or three times, often when a virgin goes out of the hive and there is a hive close by , that would also get excited and worked up and lots of bees leave the hive, with drones, and then go back in . I have seen this several times, I have been a beekeeper for many years but I do not know everything I learn new things every day, that is a good thing about keeping bees you never know what’s gonna happen next, enjoy your beekeeping and thank you for commenting john
@@johnbeemansaunders6567 hi John, thanks for your reply, I am new, I did a course at local BBKA yr1 2nd Yr on their apiary with my 1st bees, but they died over winter. Then following June (last year) I was given a swarm from my local BBKA as they knew I was bee less. And that what I have seen through last winter and still have her now. I didn't know what all the activity was outside her hive, very odd. Not swarming behaviour it was something else. I wondered if other bees from other hive was going in and getting confused and causing a bit of a rucus? They fascinate me intensely. I'm so interested in how the drones know where to congregate and how the queen's find them. But very little info out there on the drones and their congregation areas.
@@JosExotics Second possibility is you may have missed a supersedure cell, and the virgin went out and came back, this has happened to me before, 🤓
@@johnbeemansaunders6567 definitely not that. It was my original old queen that swarmed and I got her back into a new hive with new foundation only. They had been in there 2/3 days when this activity started but out front. Like say not swarm behaviour but noisier, more frantic in and out. Only things I as a newbie thought it could be was other bees coming in and robbing their syrup? And causing a bit of a do. Or I had put them in new blue hive. And the hive 6-8 foot to the left was blue nuc and they got moved into a new pine hive and bees were getting a bit mixed up and entering wrong hive causing a bit of a do🤔. But all calmed down. And Queens still in correct hives. Just saw the kind of activity on your vid and thought it could of been similar. Would they be restless and noisy having new home and no brood/eggs to start with as no where for queen to lay as only had fresh foundation?
Does scout bees scouts queen in the air during mating flight??
I do think that bees from other hives drift in with the new queen but have no evidence for this, John
@@johnbeemansaunders6567 i think they do.